News broke on Wednesday of a scandal within World Wrestling Entertainment that featured some troubling allegations about Vince McMahon and other officials.
Joe Palazzolo and Ted Mann of The Wall Street Journal reported that WWE is investigating a relationship between McMahon and a now-former employee. Among the things being investigated include a $3 million payment in hush money, that McMahon doubled her salary from $100,000 to $200,000 after the relationship began and that he gave her to WWE general manager of talent relations, John Laurinaitis, “like a toy.”
This is going to be a crazy PR nightmare for WWE and Vince McMahon.
Vince McMahon allegedly paid a $3 million settlement to cover up an affair he had with a departing employee.
Shocked but not surprised to say the least. pic.twitter.com/dE0cKJblIK
— Wrestle Ops (@WrestleOps) June 15, 2022
There were two dominant reactions to the story.
One was the natural reaction that these allegations are truly troubling and won’t be good for anyone involved.
https://twitter.com/KXNGAO/status/1537167743585230848
The Vince McMahon story….. lord….. this is seriously bad.
— Denise 'Hollywood' Salcedo (@_denisesalcedo) June 15, 2022
This looks really bad. https://t.co/Lt2vqBwr2z
— Dave Meltzer (@davemeltzerWON) June 15, 2022
dark side of the ring: Vince McMahon addition gone be a 12 hour marathon😭😭😭 pic.twitter.com/nJIedEKcy6
— 𝑔⛦. (@GAIASTRAPHOUSE) June 15, 2022
And while that was the reaction from the majority of people, that opinion was far from a consensus. There was another feeling from people who have followed WWE for a while and are less than surprised about these allegations.
People who don’t watch wrestling: Wow can you believe this Vince McMahon story???
Literally everyone who’s watched wrestling since 1998: Yes.
— Jeremy Ball (@JMBall21) June 15, 2022
Let’s be honest, nobody is surprised about that Vince McMahon story. I’m surprised there isn’t MORE stories.
— kingtisemedia (@kingtisemedia) June 15, 2022
There’s no allegation against Vince McMahon that I wouldn’t believe. Even the most ridiculous. He did it all
— Reverend Mother in Bio (@CasaDupre) June 15, 2022
Vince McMahon and Johnny Ace were passing around the staff like a Warriors fast break and nobody is surprised cuz we’ve been desensitized from the attitude era pic.twitter.com/qrOFvwkKxi
— Ahmed/The Ears/IG: BigBizTheGod 🇸🇴 (@big_business_) June 15, 2022
While these allegations are serious, this isn’t the first time that McMahon has been down this road. Rita Chatterton, a former female referee in WWE, alleged that Vince McMahon tried to force her to perform oral sex on him and when she refused, was raped by McMahon. In the 1990s, McMahon faced the “Steroid Trial,” where he was accused of supplying steroids to his wrestlers. Though, McMahon was never found guilty in either case.
